Football pitches across Glasgow to be revamped in £850k project
Football pitches across Glasgow are set to be revamped in an £850,000 refurbishment programme.
The initiative, led by Glasgow Life, will see several five-a-side and full-size pitches resurfaced at various Glasgow Life Sport facilities, including Glasgow Club Scotstoun, the Emirates Arena, Glasgow Green Football Centre, Toryglen Regional Football Centre, and Glasgow Club Crownpoint.
The work is set to take place between this month and August.
The project is part of Glasgow Life's Synthetic Surfaces Refresh Programme 2024-26 (Image: Supplied) The project is part of Glasgow Life's Synthetic Surfaces Refresh Programme 2024-26.
New goals and nets will also be installed at four of the five venues.
In a bid to become more environmentally sustainable, Glasgow Life, which leads culture and sport in Glasgow, will be the first third sector organisation in Scotland to trial a biodegradable corn infill on football pitches, as an alternative to third generation (3G) rubber crumb.
The corn infill is set to be tested on two five-a-side courts at Glasgow Green Football Centre, with work beginning this month.
New goals and nets will also be installed at four of the five venues (Image: Supplied) The European Commission has confirmed that from October 2031, rubber crumb will no longer be purchasable within the EU, meaning any new 3G pitches built after that date must have a non-rubber infill.
The trial of the biodegradable corn infill at Glasgow Green Football Centre will help Glasgow Life understand the infill’s playing and maintenance qualities.
If the trial is successful, alternatives to 3G rubber crumb infills could be used to resurface more of the charity’s football pitches in the future.
The pitch refresh programme will ensure the old synthetic surfaces and infills are removed and transported to a specialist recycling plant, where each part of the old pitches will be separated, cleaned, and recycled.
Andrew Olney, director of libraries, sport, and communities at Glasgow Life, said: "This investment reflects our commitment to improve people’s mental and physical wellbeing through sport.
"The refresh ensures Glasgow Life continues to offer high-quality pitches throughout Glasgow where players of all ages and levels can get active and enjoy a game with friends, family and teammates.
"The new pitches will offer modern playing surfaces and give people the chance to experience the life-changing benefits of sport."
The refurbishments are being funded by Glasgow Life, Glasgow City Council, and the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
